This invention relates to thermoelectric generators using a working substance as alkali metal and includes, in particular, a new class of porous electrodes on solid electrolyte for such devices that have high efficiency and, consequently, car lead to high power output.
Thermoelectric generator devices using alkali metals, e.g. sodium, as the working fluid have been previously described (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,458,356; 3,511,715; 4,042,757; 4,049,877 and U.S. Ser. No. 813,711, filed 7/7/77, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,958 which are hereby incorporated by reference for such disclosure) so there is not a need for further description. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,877 also describes a chemical vapor deposition technique that allows preparation of advantageous porous electrodes on solid electrolyte. The porous electrode of this invention can provide higher power outputs as compared to certain of those which are now typically made by chemical vapor deposition and comprise an ordered orientation of metal as molybdenum.